Steam & Excursion > A Great Note On Twitter from FWRHS

"The themes behind this year's trip plans: More runbys, more open vestibules, more quality time with @NickelPlate765."

I LIKE IT!

Amen !

Sounds like more Metra and finally some BNSF action...

That, or a lot of short lines.  Either way, if she's out running somewhere, it's all good.

junctiontower Wrote:
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> That, or a lot of short lines.  Either way, if
> she's out running somewhere, it's all good.

this was Kelly's reply to the same question on twitter:
 @NickelPlate765 all mainline, with the exception of one.

Good stuff!
Tyler
 

Although unlikely, I hope that shortline will be the R&N.  I know they could have plenty of fun there.  Especially considering that a certain RDG 4-8-4 should be back online this year.  Not to mention the loudest pacific in the world, and it's 45 minutes from the house.  Hope spring eternal...

Tehachapi-TJ Over & Out.

tehachapi-dave Wrote:
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> Although unlikely, I hope that shortline will be
> the R&N.  I know they could have plenty of fun
> there.  Especially considering that a certain RDG
> 4-8-4 should be back online this year.  Not to
> mention the loudest pacific in the world, and it's
> 45 minutes from the house.  Hope spring
> eternal...
>
> Tehachapi-TJ Over & Out.

Rich Melvin made a comment somewhere that seemed to imply not to ever expect to see 765 on the R&N again.  I have no idea why that might be.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/19/17 18:14 by junctiontower.

junctiontower Wrote:
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> Rich Melvin made a comment somewhere that seemed
> to imply not to ever expect to see 765 on the R&N
> again.  I have no idea why that might be.

Sadly, from what I've seen, any bridges between the R&N and FWRHS are severly burned.  Which is a true shame, since the R&N is one place that 765 could actually get up and stretch her legs a little bit.  Especially now that they have Class 3 track between Reading and Hamburg, where 765 could hit 60 MPH for nearly 15 miles, and then get a good work out on the grade north of Tamaqua.  Oh what could be accomplished if egos would step aside...

Tehachapi-TJ Over & Out.

tehachapi-dave posted, "...Oh what could be accomplished if egos would step aside..."

And just think what would be accomplished if people who don't know what they are talking about kept their mouth's shut.

The 765 is not likely to return to the R&N for purely business reasons. It takes SIX DAYS OF DEADHEADING to get there and back. That's a huge fixed cost to cover. There were/are no egos involved on either side.

With regard to "stretching her legs..." does 70+ mph on Metra not count?

A curiosity question from one who knows absolutely nothing about this: Is there no was that at least some of that deadheading could be converted to something, if not profitable, at least something that would break even or loose less? Is the deadheading over a line where you aren't permitted to carry a paying crowd, or is it just some place so boring that nobody would pay to come along? Or something else? I'm not trying to criticise in any way; as I say, I know nothing of what is going on here. I'm just curious.

The deadhead route from Fort Wayne, Indiana to the R&N in southeastern Pennsylvania is Norfolk Southern via Bellevue, Buffalo and Binghamton. Three days each way. We cannot carry passengers on NS, which means we cannot generate any revenue over those three days. But there are a LOT of dollars going out on those six deadhead days. It is impossible to cover 6 days of deadheading costs and make any money unless you are going to run 3 or 4 weekends while in PA. It is asking a lot of an all-volunteer crew to travel 10 hours east on Thursday, work 3 days (fire up and prep on Friday, run Saturday and Sunday) then travel 10 hours back west on Monday...and do that three weekends in a row.

We have many other opportunities to generate revenue that are much closer to home. That's why a return to the R&N is unlikely.

Operating a main line steam locomotive is a high risk, capital-intensive business. And we are not in business to break even.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/24/17 20:20 by Rich_Melvin.

Rich_Melvin Wrote:
......
> Operating a main line steam locomotive is a high
> risk, capital-intensive business. And we are not
> in business to break even.

For shame on you, Rich!.....Didn't you know that railfans should take priority over your finances. Where is your head, Man?...I mean surely, you understand that they can't afford to travel from the East all the way out to Indiana, why they have to make sure their bills are paid! So, you must come to them so they can get those photos!!!

Get with the program, Rich ;)

Posted from Android

nhiwwrr posted, "...For shame on you, Rich!.....Didn't you know that railfans should take priority over your finances. Where is your head, Man?...I mean surely, you understand that they can't afford to travel from the East all the way out to Indiana, why they have to make sure their bills are paid! So, you must come to them so they can get those photos!!! Get with the program, Rich ;)..."

ROTFL!! (That's "Rolling on the floor laughing!" for those of you in Rio Linda.) Now THAT'S funny!

If we had done business like that all these years, the 765 would be stuffed and mounted somewhere by now, quietly rusting away under the pigeons.

Rich_Melvin Wrote:
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> We cannot carry passengers on
> NS, which means we cannot generate any revenue
> over those three days. 

Thanks Rich. If you can't carry a paying crowd then it gets right expensive right quick, and would be hard or impossible to cover on the far end.
 

Rich_Melvin Wrote:
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> tehachapi-dave posted, "...Oh what could be
> accomplished if egos would step aside..."
>
> And just think what would be accomplished if
> people who don't know what they are talking about
> kept their mouth's shut.
>
> The 765 is not likely to return to the R&N for
> purely business reasons. It takes SIX DAYS OF
> DEADHEADING to get there and back. That's a huge
> fixed cost to cover. There were/are no egos
> involved on either side.
>
> With regard to "stretching her legs..." does 70+
> mph on Metra not count?

Funny what somereal facts can show rather than speculation or "alternative facts".